Article archive / April 1, 2012
Originally published: . Volume 3, No. 8. Source pages: 8, 9, 10, 11.
Dr. Arthur J. Riopelle blended his love of experimental psychology with his natural gift for excellence into a career of profound contributions spanning over 60 years.
Represented by more than 150 articles, books and book chapters, Dr. Riopelle achieved international respect for his work in learning, primate behavior, and nutrition. As director of the Psychology Division of the US Army Medical Research Laboratory, he helped to send monkeys safely into space and pave the way for human space exploration. He was at the crest of a wave of behavioral science and primatology through the 60s and 70s, including serving as the first Director of the Delta Regional Primate Center in Covington, Louisiana. His work with National Geographic Society Committee for Research and Exploration brought him into contact with the first-ever discovered albino gorilla, and cast him into the international media spotlight.
When the Regional Primate Center shifted away from behavioral science, Art moved to LSU Psychology in 1972 and put his mind to research about nutrition, findings that still have implications today. At LSU he brought his far- reaching, philosophical perspective and scientific rigor to a generation of doctoral students who were fortunate enough to cross his path. He was awarded the university’s highest honor of Boyd Professor, for outstanding contributions in research, teaching, and creative achievements.
From his very first publication in 1948 for Psychometrika to his last in 2005, and one of single authorship in 2003, “Functional anatomy of the null hypothesis and of tests of it,” his efforts and publications on behalf of psychological science spanned nearly six decades. At the same time, he was involved in his community as a licensed psychologist, a dedicated family man, an amateur violinist, a published photographer, and a supporter of the arts.
At times a career with spectacular attention, Art Riopelle was at his core a philosopher-scientist. A man of strong confidence, he remained unencumbered by hubris or false sentiment. Those who knew him understood him as a sincere, respectful individual with deep and unshakeable integrity, who loved what he did, and brought his kindness and brilliance to colleagues, friends and students.
Baton Rouge clinical psychologist Dr. Susan Jensen served with Art on the Louisiana Board of Examiners. “He was one of the finest gentlemen I have ever met,” she told the Times, “the most genteel human being.” Sue’s tenure on the board overlapped with Art’s and she also knew him from LSU where she directed student health services. “He had that wonderful combination,” she said, “of being an outstanding scientist, and a truly fine gentleman. He was also an artist, with an artist’s sensibilities. I considered it a great privilege to serve on the board with him.”
He was major professor to Dr. Renee Favret, who commented on his great “generosity in time and guidance” to his students. “This is difficult for me,” she said, “because words are inadequate to express the respect I have for Dr. Arthur Riopelle as a researcher, mentor and as a man. He was working on a study of nutrition in undeveloped countries under a World Health Organization grant when I worked with him as a research assistant. LSU was very fortunate to have had a professor of his abilities, knowledge and self- discipline, who also cared so much for his students.”
Dr. Tom Stigall also served with Art on the psychology board. “He was a man of integrity who brought a fair, balanced presence to the board,” said Tom. “He had the perspective of psychology as a discipline, in the broadest sense.” Tom knew Art from the community and had overlapping terms on the psychology board. “He was a very gracious man, a special person.”
Ernest Delaune, his business manager at the Delta Primate Center told the Times, “He was one of the best, a truly good guy.” Authur J. Riopelle’s career began after his service in the U.S. Army. At the end of the War, he returned to his native Wisconsin and then earned his PhD in experimental psychology from University of Wisconsin. He took an academic position at Emory University and for the next seven years he would prove himself to be an insightful scientist and prolific researcher. He published a wealth and variety of research including, “The distribution of scotopic sensitivity in human vision,” in Am. J. of Psychology, “Discrimination reversal to a sign,” in J. of Experimental Psychology, “Rewards, preferences and learning sets,” in Psychological Reports. He served on the Panel on Air Force Training for NAS-NRC (National Academy of Science– National Research Council) Committee on Aviation Psychology. He was named Director of the Psychology Division for the U.S. Army Medical Research Laboratory (USAMRL) in 1957, where he continued to produce a wealth of studies in experimental and comparative areas. He served on the Primate Research Study Section of the National Advisory Committee (NAC) from 1959 to 1963.
In 1959 he was named Director of the Yerkes Laboratories of Primate Biology at Emory University, and produced many works, including “Observational learning in the rhesus monkey,” in the J. of Comparative Physiological Psychology,” “Stimulus and reward displays in discrimination learning,” with Harry Harlow, in J. of Genetic Psychology, and “Complex Behavior,” a chapter in Principles of Comparative Psychology,
In 1960 Art served on the NIH Study Group on Primate Research in the Congo and in 1962 he was chosen as the first Director of the Delta Regional Primate Research Center in Covington, Louisiana, now called the Tulane National Primate Research Center.
Art led the development of the Delta Center for almost a decade, helping to direct the work at almost every level. Ernie Delaune, business manager for the start-up of the Center told the Times, “Dr. Riopelle was heavily involved with the architects in the design of the campus. He did a superb job as usual,” said Ernie. During these years, Art Riopelle’s involvement in the national and international science community was dramatic. He served on the NAS-NRC Fellowship Committee for five years and as Chairman of the United States–Japan Conference on Primate Research. He served on the Executive Committee on Laboratory Animal Resources and from 1961 to 1963 he served on the National Research Council (NRC) Sub- Committee for the Biological Effects of Atomic Radiation.
He was Chairman of the Sub- Committee on Primate Standards, Institute for Laboratory Animal Research, and from 1967 to 1971 he served in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Conference on New World Primates Wild Animal Propagation Trust. He was Secretary for the Western Hemisphere, International Primatological Society.
In 1966-67 he was part of the field studies of gorillas in Rio Muni, West Africa, through National Geographic Society’s Committee for Research and Exploration.
His work included “Growth and behavioral changes in chimpanzees,” “Behavior of chimpanzees of differing ages,” and “Temporal factors in pattern discrimination by monkeys.” He contributed book chapters to Research with Primates in 1963 and Behavior of Nonhuman Primates, with H. Harlow, in 1965. Art authored Comparative Psychology, with W. A. Mason, in 1964, and Animal Problem Solving in 1967. He would eventually write the expert articles for Encyclopedia Americana, Academic American Encyclopedia, Wiley Encyclopedia of Psychology, and Grolier Encyclopedia, for topics from, “Animal Intelligence,” “Tool Using,” and “Instinct,” to “The Chimpanzee,” and “The Gorilla.”
He served as Assistant Editor for Animal Behavior, as Consulting Editor for the Journal of Genetic Psychology, and later as Executive Editor for the Journal of Psychology and as Associate Editor for Genetic, Social, and General Psychology Monographs.
In a confluence of events he was placed in the international spotlight when the plight of a snow-white baby gorilla captured the attention of the world.
When a baby albino gorilla was found clinging to its dead mother in the province of Rio Muni in Equatorial Guinea, Professor Sabater Pi called Dr. Riopelle, who had been a collaborator with Sabater in the National Geographic field studies of gorillas in Rio Muni, West Africa. Riopelle informed the National Geographic Society and they sent him and Paul Zahl to study the baby.
In March 1967 Riopelle and Zahl authored the National Geographic Magazine article, “Snowflake, the world’s first white gorilla” the most reprinted story in National Geographic’s history. The name stuck and the gorilla became internationally famous. And a few years later Riopelle authored “Growing up with Snowflake,” for National Geographic Magazine, in a 1970 issue.
Ernest Delaune explained that Riopelle had taken photographs of Snowflake for one of the articles, “ … with his treasured Bronica large format camera,” Ernie said. “This appeared to be the crowning achievement of his career. He would beam any time those photos were mentioned.” In 1972 Dr. Riopelle made a decision to leave the Primate Center, which was shifting from behavioral science to infectious disease research, and join the graduate psychology faculty at LSU. He brought his research focus on nutrition producing a flood of studies, including “Acceptance and palatability of foods by protein-deprived monkeys,” with Nancy Hillman, in Psychological Reports, “Maternal protein deprivation and toxemia of pregnancy,” in Am. J. of Obstetrics and Gynecology, “Discrimination by rhesus monkeys to diets containing supplemental amino acids,” in Perceptual Motor Skills, “Prenatal manganese deprivation and early behavior of primates,” in J. of Orthomolecular Psychiatry, and “Protein deprivation in primates: XIII. Growth of infants born of deprived mothers,” with Renee Favret, in Human Biology, and “Protein deprivation in primates: VIII. Early behavior of progeny,” with Penny Hale and C.W. Hill, in Developmental Psych- obiology. And in 1977 he was named Boyd Professor, the highest distinction of the university.
He was loved and cherished by his students, who found him a wealth of wisdom and perspective. “He had a wonderful sense of humor. His jokes are legend,” noted Dr. Renee Favret. Dr. Alicia Pellegrin attributes her career path to his course in the neurology of behavior. “I never had grandparents, but I’d want a grandfather just like him,” she said.
He continued his contributions in several areas. He served on the NRC Panel of Manganese, Committee on Biological Effects of Pollution, and on the Psychopharmacology Research Committee. In the late 70s he was Chairman, Sub-committee on Man, Lunar Receiving Laboratory Study and American Institute of Biological Sciences – National Aeronautics and Space Administration (AIBS– NASA).
His professional and community involvement was extensive. He was a licensed psychologist and served a term on the state licensing board. He was a member of American Psychological Association, American Psychological Society, and the Southeastern Psychological Society. He was also a member of the American Physiological Society, the International Primatological Society, and the Southern Society for Philosophy and Psychology. And he was a Fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
In the last years he stayed involved in theoretical issues in the field. He coauthored “On confidence intervals for within-subjects designs,” with Dr. Dave Blouin, LSU Experimental Statistics, in Psychological Methods, 2005. He also co-authored a number of publications with his son Dr. James Riopelle, a physician at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.
He authored “Functional anatomy of the null hypothesis and of tests of it,” in the J. of General Psychology in 2003, which followed “Are effect sizes and confidence levels problems for or solutions to the null hypothesis test?” He coauthored “The difference between t and z and the difference it makes,” at age 84. “He was a Renaissance man of enormous integrity and passion, selfless in many ways,” said his daughter, psychologist Dr. Jean Riopelle Guez. “He held science to a very high level.”
Dr. Arthur Riopelle passed away on February 11, 2012 at Jean’s home in Houston. He was 91.
[The Times wishes to thank Ms. Ashley Parada, National Geographic Image Department, for her gracious help with the Dr. Riopelle’s photo of Snowflake, and also National Geographic Society for permission to reproduce the image. The Times also appreciates those helping with this tribute, Mr. Ernest Delaune, and especially family members Dr. James Riopelle and Dr. Jean Riopelle Guez.]
Dr. Art Riopelle, with rhesus monkey. Dr. Riopelle was the first Director of the Delta Regional Primate Center, now the Tulane National Primate Center. Dr. Art Riopelle and Snowflake in a clipping from the State-Times in Baton Rouge. Dr. Art Riopelle, Boyd Professor. (Courtesy Dr. Jean Riopelle Guez.) Not too long ago: Dr. Riopelle at one of his favorite places on earth, Navarre Beach. (Courtesy Dr. Jean Riopelle Guez.)
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